Dampener for printing presses



April 9, 1940.

EC. GREMBECKI DAMPENER FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed July 25, 1938 [Mar 6?mmbeckz I N VEN TOR.

Patented Apr. 9, Q

nmaivnn ron rnmrmo masses Elmer C. Grembecki, Chicago, 111., assignor toRoberts & Porter, Ina, Ohlcago,;lll., a corporation of IllinoisApplication luly 25, 1938, Serial No. 221,069

: Claims. (01. 101-147 I This invention relates to printing apparatusand more particularly to dampening mechanism for lithographic andanalogous types of printing press, one of the principal objects of theinvention being the provision oi certain improvements in dampeningmechanism of the type disclosed.

in my U. S. Patent 2,108,984 and my copending U; 8. application, SerialNo. 152,927.

Particularly stated, the invention includes a housing having a dischargeopening adapted to confront a press roller, a source of water in thehousing remote from the discharge opening, and

means for delivering air under pressure into said housing either for thepurpose of breaking up the water into fine particles and driving thewater ,toward said discharge opening or for driving the iii) watertoward the discharge opening when some form of atomizing mechanismdistinct from the compressed air is provided for atomizing purposes, theinvention particularly providing anair chamber arranged and constructedto direct compressed air into the housing at a suitable point, and asystem of ducts for directing compressed air into the chamber in aparticular mannet to secure uniform air pressure. 7

Another object is the provision of means for providing uniform airpressure in a press dampening mechanism, said means including an airchamber arranged and constructed to. extend substantially the width'ofthe press roller and having openings through which air issues for thepurpose of driving a water spray or mist toward the roller across itsentire length, a second air chamber of. a length substantially the sameas that of the first chamber, means for setting up an air pressure inthesecond' chamber, and a system of ducts connecting the first andsecond air chambers so as to secure a proper distribution of the air inthe secondchamber, with a consequent even distribution of the waterspray or mist on the press roller.

Another object is the provision of dampening mechanism including a firstair chamber extending substantially the length of a press roller andhaving openings throughout its length through which ,air under pressuremayissue to drive auniform water spray or mistonto the roller throughoutits length, a second air chamber of a length substantially equal to thatof the first chamber, duet means connecting said chambers, and blowermechanism in the second chamber and arranged either for connection with'a separate driving means or for driving cooperation with a motor-drivenchopper oratomizer.

A further object is' the provision of control tion taken along line 2-4of Fig. 1;

'mechanism for dampening apparatus of the type characterized and whichincludes a power-driven atomizer andair compressor or blower, eachdriven by separate'motors .or by the same motor, the control mechanismincluding switch means 5/ for said motor or motors and manuallyoperablelever mechanism adapted to actuate the switch and move certain pressrollers, such as'the inking and impression rollers, into and out ofdriving engagement with a plate roller, the power means for thedampening mechanism being cut-ofl when the press is idle. Still anotherobject is the provision-of an improved guard means for cooperation witha water atomizer used in conjunction with dampening 1 mechanism of thetype characterized.

well as the location and operation of various parts hereinafter to bedescribed in view of the annexed drawing in which:

.Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview of a printing press employing the presentimprovements;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sec- Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryperspective of the guard means forfthe atomizer; p v

Fig. 4 is a bottom' plan of the dampening mechanism looking in thedirection of line 4-4 of Fig. l; Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective ofthe controlmechanism; while Fig. 61s a fragmentary perspective of amodified form of blower.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the dampening mechanism includes a housingill, preferably of the typedisclosed in my aforesaid patent andcopending application, and which is designed to provide an'elongated airpath extending throughout the length of the press rollers. 40

In the present arrangement, the. housing III has a discharge opening ormouth ll formed at one end and arranged to closely confront a plateroller l2 throughout the length of the latter, it being understood,however, that in those installations where the dampening is effected onthe ink roller IS, the housing Ill may be mounted viferably of u-shaped,the advantages of this shape being-emphasized in the aforesaid patentand providing, among other thirigaan elongated path over which thevariously dimensioned water I I particles must pass before reaching theplate cylinder, so that not only are the particles uniformly arranged bythe time they reach the cylinder, but the heavier particles are settledout due to the shape of the housing as well as the length of the path.

The housing has a lower portion H of the same length as the upperportion and formed with a trough l5 in its bottom, there being anothertrough above the first-mentioned trough and from which a fall of waterdescends across the width of the lower portion of the housing, as shownin my aforesaid patent, or the water from the upper trough may be fedthrough a pipe and float valve control 2l22 (Fig. 5), as in my aforesaidpending application, so as to maintain a normal water level in thetrough.

Atomizing means in the preferred form of a series of chopper discs I!(see also Figs. 3 and 6) are mounted in a series on a shaft l8 whichextends throughout the length of the lower section I4 of the housing andwhich is supported in journals l9 (Fig. 5) in the opposite end walls ofthe latter. The bottom portions of the disc I! normally extend into thewater contained in the lower trough I5, the shaft l8 being connectedwith some form of driving means, such for example as the electric motor20 (Fig. 5), to effect rapid rotation of the discs so that the fallingwater from trough iii (if the spray feed be used), as well as waterpicked up from the trough l5, will be thrown into space in fineparticles and in the general direction of the discharge end ll of thehousing.

Improved means for preventing pockets and water whirls in the water inthe trough l5 includes a sort of grating 25 (Fig. 3) having a pluralityof parallel bars 26 disposed between each of the discs I! and surfaceportions 21 flanking the discs on opposite sides thereof at theirjuncture with the normal level of water in trough I5 in such manner thateach portion of the discs I! contacting the water in trough I5 isguarded in the region of its juncture with the normal surface level ofthe water by portions of the grating. This arrangement is effective toprevent formation of pockets in the water regardless of the speed atwhich the discs are rotated. If desired, a shield 28 may be attached tothe rearmost surface section 21' on the grating to reduce the splash inthe direction of the air chamber, as will be brought out hereafter.

Means for effecting the movement of a uniform spray or mist toward thedischarge end of the housing, includes the provision of a first airchamber 35 (Fig. 2) at the rearward end of the lower section I4 of thehousing, there being a horizontally extending slit 36 provided in a wallportion 3'! separating the chamber from the housing, the slit beingdisposed at a level some. what above that of the shaft l8 for bestresults. A small splash guard 38 is preferably provided on the innerside of the partition 31 opposite the slit 36 to further reduce anysplash from the discs I! not effectively stopped by the guard 28.

It is important that the air pressure throughout the chamber 35 be keptas uniform as possible and to this end the present improvements providethe arrangement of a second air chamber 40 conveniently located beneaththe housing ill at a distance from the first chamber 35, the secondchamber 40 being of a length equivalent to that of the first chamber,that is, equal to the length of the usual press roller.

The second chamber 40' is conveniently referred to as the pressurechamber, and it is desirably connected with the main or distributingchamber 15 by a plurality of duct members 4| each having a flared mouthportion 42 communicating into the under side of the main chamber 35,these mouth portions being constricted (Fig. 2) relative to the junctureof the ducts with the pressure chamber 40. This arrangement provides forconstant pressure throughout the length of the main chamber 35. Pressureregulating means includes the provision in each of the flared ductportions 42 of a baille or vane 43 attached near one end 44 to the innerside of the corresponding duct and having a widened opposite end portion45 (Fig. 4 also) which projects up into the widened part of the duct.Adjusting means such as screws 48 threaded into the several ducts may beturned against the vanes 43 to urge the nose portions 45 of the latterinto the blocked dotted-line positions indicated in Fig. 2, whereby tochoke the air moving from the pressure chamber.

In the arrangement of Fig. 4, means for maintaining the air pressure inthe chamber 40 includes a blower 50 arranged at the opposite end of theshaft l8 to the connection thereof with the motor 20, the blower havingits discharge side 5i connected with one of the ends of the chamber 40 Amodified arrangement of the pressure means of Fig. 4 is shown in Fig. 6wherein an elongated pressure chamber 55, similar to the chamber 40, ismounted beneath the lower portion H of the housing and has an elongatedblower element 56a mounted on a shaft 56 journaled in the opposite endwalls of the chamber. The chamber 55 is provided wtih an elongatedintake opening 51, and a constricted discharge duct 58, similar inoperating principle to the duct means 4l--42 of Figs. 2 and 4, in thatits juncture with the chamber 55 is wider than the opposite dischargeend 59 thereof which connects with the under side of the main airchamber.

The mouth of the discharge duct 58, in contrast to the arrangement ofFig. 4, extends throughout the length of the chamber 55. Means fordriving the self-contained blower in the arrangement of Fig. 6, includesa pulley 60 on the shaft 56, driven by a belt 5| on a pulley 62 arrangedon the end of the main chopper or atomizer shaft i 8. By thisarrangement, the chopper and the blower are driven by the same motor 20,however, if convenient, a separate motor may be connected directly withthe shaft 56 and electrically connected with the motor 20 for unitarycontrol.

An improved control mechanismis shown in Fig. 5 and includes a controlelement or switch 10 electrically connected with the motor 20 and apower source through the conduits H and including an oscillableoperating crank 12 provided with a roller I3. In the type of presschosen for illustration there is a main manual control crank 15 arrangedon one side of the press near an end of the plate roller (Figs. 1 and 5)and connected through a lever system 16 with certain of the pressrollers such as the impression and ink rollers, such that when the crank15 is depressed, these rollers will be moved out of engagement eitherwith the driven plate roller or some other driving roller.

The control or switch-operating member I2 is arranged for actuation bymeans such as the arm 11 attached to the lever 15, the roller 13 beingso positioned with respect to the means 11 9,190,412 that when theoperating crank I is depressed to idle the press and lift the rollers,the control arm 12 will be moved to shut oil the motor 20, thus stoppingthe atomizing mechanism, as well as the blower 50 or theblower driveshaft 56 in the self-contained blower arrangement of Fig. 6. The switchobviously may simultaneously control any separate motor means providedfor the blower shaft 56, as heretofore suggested.

In operation, the motor is energized automatically when the mastermanual control 15 is actuated to drive the ink and impression rollerswith the plate roller, thus rotating the chopper shaft I8 50 that waterfalling from the trough l6. as well as water below the grate 25, ispicked up by the disc I I and thrown into space in the lower housingsection vll. In the arrangement of Fig. 4, the blower 50 is drivendirectly from the shaft l8 and builds up pressure in the pressurechamber Ml, which pressure is distributed through the constricted ducts"-42 into the main distributing chamber from which the compressed airissues through the elongated slot 36 to pick up the atomized particlesand move the same bodily in the form of a mist into the upper section ofthe housing and through the mouth ll into the plate or ink roller, thewater particles being very fine and of uniform size and distribution.Automatic shutter means 80 cooperably driven through a cam mechanism8l-82 actuatedby the main plate roller, periodically cuts of! movementof the mist once during each revolution of the plate roller, andadjustable ballles 83 may be positioned throughout the length of thehousing to distribute the deposit variously along the length of therollers.

Where the arrangement of Fig. 6 is preferred, the blower means isdispensed with, and the self-contained blower is provided in the chamberto build up pressure in the latter, which pressure is fed through theconstricted duct unit 58 into the bottom of the chamber 35 withsubstantially 'the results achieved as described in conjunction with thearrangement of Fig. 4, the operation of the remainder of the apparatusbeing substantially the same.

While I have described the preferred embodiment in details for purposesof illustration, it will be apparent that changes may be made in theform, location, and operation of the specified apparatus, and theinvention is therefore not to be restricted to any such details exceptas may be provided in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is: r

1. In a dampener for a printing press, means providing a housing havinga discharge opening confronting a press roller along the length of thelatter, means providing a source of particulated water in said housing,a main air chamber communicating into said housing at a point remotefrom said opening and along a path parallel thereto, a pressure chamberextending collateral-' ly of said main air chamber and means formaintaining a predetermined air pressure therein, andduct meanscommunicating from said pressure chamber into said main chamber along apath collateral to the length of said roller.

2. In a dampener, for a printing press, means providing a housing havinga discharge openingmote from said opening and along a path parallelthereto, a pressure chamber extending collaterally of said main airchamber and means for maintaining a predetermined air pressure therein,and duct means communicating from said pressure chamber into said mainchamber along a path collateral to the length of said roller and beingrelatively constricted at its juncture with the main chamber. I

3. In a dampener for a printing press, means providing a housing havinga discharge mouth confronting a member of the press, the width of saidhousing and mouth extending collaterally of said press member, meansproviding a source of finely divided water particles in said housing,and air pressure means for moving said particles toward said mouth ontosaid press member and including a main elongated air chamber arrangedwith its length parallel to the width of said housing and mouth andcommunicating throughout its length into said housing along a pathsubstantially collateral to, and at a point remote from, said mouth andbehind'said water source relative to the mouth, a pressure chamber "of alength substantially equal to that of said main chamber and arrangedwith its length parallel to the latter and said mouth, and duct meansconnecting said pressure chamber and said main chamber substantiallythroughout the length of each, together with means for maintaining airpressure in said pressure chamber.

4. In a dampener for a printing press, a housing having a mouth arrangedopposite the length of a press roller, an air distributing chamber widthsubstantially equal to that of a press roller and having a dischargemouth arranged closely opposite said roller throughout the lengththereof, an air distributing chamber extending across the width of saidhousing and having air discharge means arranged substantially across thewidth of the housing and substantially parallel to the length of saidroller, a pressure chamber also extending the width of said housing, andduct means feeding from said pressure chamber along a path across thewidth thereof into said distributing chamber along a pathv across thewidth of the same and substantially parallel to the length of saidroller, means for generating air pressure in said pressure chamber, andmeans providing a source of water particles in said housing, saidparticles being carried to said discharge mouth by air issulng from saiddistributing chamber.

6., In a press dampener, a housing having a width substantially equal tothat of a press roller and having a discharge mouth arranged close tosaid roller and extending collaterally therewith, an air distributingchamber extending across said housing, and means providing communicationfrom said air chamber into said housing substantially all the way acrossthe latter and at an end of the housing remote from said dischargemouth, apressure chamber and means for maintaining a desired airpressure therein, said pressure chamber being of a length at least equalto the width of said discharge mouth, means for projecting water intospace in said housing in the path of air from said distributing chamber,and duct means communicating from said pressure chamber throughout itslength into said dlstributing chamber substantially throughout thelength of the latter as measured across said housing, said duct meanshaving a greater crosssectional area in the region of its juncture withsaid pressure chamber than at its juncture with said distributingchamber.

'7. In a printing press dampener, a housing having a discharge mouthextending the length of a press member to be dampened, a main airchamber having air discharge means arranged therein and issuing intosaid housing along a line substantially collateral with said pressmember, means for projecting water into space in said housing and in thepath of air from said main chamber, a pressure chamber and means formaintaininga desired air pressure therein, and a plurality of airfeeding ducts leading from said pressure chamber at points spaced alongthe length thereof and into said main chamber at points spaced along thelength of the same and along a path parallel to said discharge mouth,said ducts being widened in the direction of the length of said mainchamber at their juncture with the same.

8. In a device of the class described, a housing, power-driven atomizingmeans in saidhousing for breaking up water therein into fine particles,an air distributing chamber communicating with said housing, a pressurechamber having communication with said distributing chamber, and drivenmeans for maintaining air pressure in said pressure chamber andcooperably driven with said atomizing means.

9. In a press dampener, air pressure means including an air distributingchamber and coacting atomizing means, a pressure chamber, andconstricted duct means connecting said chambers.

10. In a dampening mechanism, a housing and rotatable water atomizingmeans therein, motor means driving said rotatable means, and airpressure apparatus including an air distributing chamber communicatinginto said housing, an air pressure chamber, a blower driven cooperablywith said rotatable means by said motor means, and means providing forpassage of air from said pressure chamber into said distributingchamber.

11. In a dampening apparatus, a housing having a discharge mouth, meansproviding a source of water in said housing, rotatable waterparticulating means in said housing and including a drive shaft havingend portions exposed on opposite sides of said housing, motor meansconnected with one exposed end of said drive shaft, a blower mounted atthe opposite end of said shaft and drivingly connected therewith, apressure chamber connected to the output of said blower and mountedbeneath said housing, and an air distributing chamber havingcommunication with said pressure chamber and said housing and effectiveto direct air into the particulated water to move the same toward saiddischarge mouth.

12. In a dampening apparatus, a housing having a discharge mouth, meansproviding a source of water in said housing, a rotatable water atomizingdevice including a drive shaft extending through opposite side parts ofsaid housing, an air pressure chamber extending across the width of saidhousing and including a blower element rotatable about an axissubstantially parallel to that of the aforesaid drive shaft, meanscoupling said shafts for driving cooperation, and motor means drivinglyconnected with one of said shafts, and means for distributing air fromsaid pressure chamber into said housing.

13. In a device oi the class described, atomizing mechanism including aplurality of spaced coaxiaily rotated members and means providing asupply of water through which said members rotate, and means forpreventing air pockets and whirls about said members and including aguard member disposed in said water and having a plurality of openingstherein and through each of which a portion of one of said coaxiallyrotated members projects into contact with said water.

14. Atomizing apparatus including a water trough, a guard in said troughand having a surface portion in spaced relation to the bottom of saidtrough, said surface portion having a plurality of parallel openingscommunicating therethrough into said water, and means including aplurality of rotated disc-shaped choppers mounted in axially spacedrelation on a common shaft and each having an edge portion projectedinto said water through one of said parallel openings in the guard, andmeans for rotating said common shaft.

15. Atomizing apparatus including a water trough, a guard in said troughand having a surface portion in spaced relation to the bottom of saidtrough, said surface portion having a plurality of parallel openingscommunicating therethrough into said water, and means including aplurality of rotated disc-shaped choppers mounted in axially spacedrelation on a common shaft and each having an edge portion projectedinto said water through one of said parallel openings in the guard, andmeans for rotating said common shaft, said guard having a shield mountedthereon and extending upwardly away from the guard behind said chopperson the side thereof rotating toward the guard.

16. In combination with a printing press including a manual control formoving press rollers, dampening mechanism including a driving motor andwater atomizing means driven thereby, motor control means for startingand stopping said motor, and mechanism arranged to actuate said motorcontrol means cooperably with said manual control whereby to effectstarting and stopping of said atomizing means when said press rollersare moved into and out of predetermined positions by operation of saidmanual control.

17. In combination, a printing press having a driven plate cylinder androller means arranged and provided with idling control mechanism formoving said roller means into and out of operative engagement with saidplate cylinder, and dampening mechanism including a driven .wateratomizer, driven air moving means arranged to carry atomized water to apoint of utilization, motor means for driving said atomizer and said airmoving means, a control for starting and stopping said motor means, andmechanism linking said idling control mechanism for coaction with saidmotor control whereby to effect a stopping and starting of said motormeans correspondingly with movement of said roller means into and out ofoperative engagement with said plate cylinder.

18. In a device of the class described, means for moving water particlesor water mist through a housing onto a press roller positioned before adischarge mouth provided in said housing, said means including apressure chamber and means for maintaining a desired air pressuretherein, an air distributing chamber arranged to extend in a direction'across the width of said housing parallel with the axis of said roller,said distributing chamber having an air escape slit communicating withsaid housing across the width of the latter at an end thereof remotefrom said mouth, said slit extending parallel with said axis of theroller, and duct means interconnecting said pressure chamber anddistributing chamber throughout the extent of each.

19. In a. device of the class described, means for moving waterparticles or water mist through a housing onto a press roller positionedbefore a discharge mouth provided in said housing, said means includinga pressure chamber and means for maintaining a desired air pressuretherein, an air distributing chamber arranged to extend in a directionacross the width of said housing parallel with the axis of said roller,said distributing chamber having an air escape slit communieating withsaid housing across the width of the latter at an end thereof remotefrom said mouth, said slit extending parallel with said axis of theroller, and duct means interconnecting said pressure chamber anddistributing chamber throughout the extent of each, said duct meansbeing constricted at its juncture with said distributing chamber.

20. In a press dampener, a moisture confining member having a. dischargemouth arranged to confront a press roller, a main air chamber providedwith air exit means arranged to discharge air into said confining memberalong a path substantially parallel to said roller, a pressure chamberdischarging through constricted orifice means into said main air chamberalong a path substantially parallel to said discharge path in theconfining member, means for generating air pressure in said pressurechamber, and means for projecting water into space in said housing inthe path of air from said main chamber.

ELMER C. GREMIBECKI.

